On Friday 14th November, the first Postdoc and Fellows Symposium in the department took place at Imperial’s White City campus.
The initiative was organised by the postdoctoral representatives (David Carreno, Claire Dunican, Hannah Klim, Maria Papangeli, Katia Ribeiro de Jesus, Magdalena Szczesna) and champion (Alex McCarthy) of the Department of Infectious Disease (DoID), and it aimed to bring together postdocs and fellows from the six sections. It was a hugely successful event with a great turnout that led to networking, showcasing of cutting-edge research, enjoying lunch with great views from the 12th floor of the Uren building, and bringing out the competitive side of the participants with a team-building quiz.
The event was kicked off by the Head of the Department, Professor Wendy Barclay, who took us through her journey of becoming a successful scientist and the struggles she faced as a female early career researcher. An inspirational talk that highlighted how personal each academic journey is, as well as common challenges that come with a research career.
The opening talk was followed by more career pathway talks from two young principal investigators, Rachel Lai and Daniel Goncalves Carneiro, each with clever titles about how pineapples don’t grow overnight and when science gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Metaphors for the patience and recognition of opportunities that are essential for a successful career.
The evening continued with 14 brilliant talks from postdocs and fellows across the department. Each speaker presented their work with passion and clarity. This experience not only increased the visibility of the speakers but informed the rest of the participants about the ongoing research in the DoID. The talks covered a wide range of topics from the pistons in bacterial membranes to the gossip between bacteriophages.
The participants and the organising committee voted for the best talks which were rewarded with a certificate and a 50 £ Amazon voucher. Congratulations to Molly George and Anna Rydlova for delivering an exceptional talk!
The science was interrupted with a fun team-building quiz. Each team fought hard for the 6 inflatable crowns. The quiz masters, Hannah and Claire, delivered a well-rounded quiz with scientific, department-based based and pop culture questions that kept tensions and emotions running high.
The evening was settled to a close after the careers roundtables. The participants had the opportunity to ask professionals questions about potential future roles in and out of academia. This opportunity led to networking as well as gaining valuable insights into a wide range of career paths.
Conclusions/outcomes
Overall, the symposium surpassed the networking and career development expectations. The attendees feedback emphasised the need for similar events and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to share their research while exploring career pathways both within and beyond academia. As part of the organising committee, we also learned how much can be achieved through teamwork and how much support is available from our department, the ECRI, and our champion, whose guidance and practical support made this event possible.
ECRI Acknowledgement
The organising committee is grateful for the ECRI funding we received, which was essential to delivering this event and achieving its positive outcomes.